The Director of the Irish BioIndustry Association (IBIA), Marian Byron today said that comments made by the Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan regarding the level of interest among Irish farmers in availing of plant biotechnology need a fuller explanation.

Calling for a wider and real debate on the issue Ms Byron said: ‘The simple truth is that Irish farmers have been subjected to misinformed, negative and totally misleading information about plant biotechnology. The time has come to stop playing mind games and deal with the substantive issue.’

‘In an extremely competitive global food market Irish farmers need to be fully aware of the scale of plant biotechnology adoption and its positive impact. Right across the developed world plant biotechnology is allowing farmers to grow crops more efficiently and economically. Irish farmers must compete in this market and must be made more aware of the health, environmental and economic benefits of the technology,’ she said.

‘It is vital that Irish farmers are not denied the opportunity to use the most rapidly adopted technology in the history of agriculture. In 2005 8.25 million farmers in 17 countries on six continents used plant biotechnology to solve difficult crop production challenges and conserve the environment

‘Over the past decade, farmers have increased the area planted in biotech crops by over 10% each year, increased their farm income by more than $27 billion and reduced the amount of pesticide active ingredients applied by 127,000 tonnes. By 2005 there was over 1 billion acre in plant biotech across the globe, she said.

‘Five countries in Europe grew biotech crops in 2005. The National Centre for Agricultural and Food Production estimates that a moderate usage of plant biotechnology in relevant European crops will increase farm income by €1.1 Billion. This will be underpinned by a decrease in pesticide usage of almost 100,000 tonnes

‘Minister Coughlan’ s stated view is that the way forward for Ireland is organic agriculture. The Irish Bioindustry strongly challenges that assumption. and would argue that despite significant support from her department organic produce represents less than 1% of Irish agricultural output with over 70% of organic fruit is imported into Ireland’ she said

According to Ms Byron: ‘The equitable position should be that Irish farmers are given every opportunity to avail of a technology which could provide a competitive advantage to a sector which is facing increasing pressures from other agricultural food producing nations. Currently Irish framers are prohibited from growing biotech corps and have no choice as the decision is made for them. This situation cannot continue indefinitely without an open and frank debate and the Minister has a responsibility to review the benefits to farmers, consumers and Ireland be gained by the use of growing GM corps.’

In conclusion Ms Byron stated: ‘In a fiercely competitive global market Irish farmers must have the choice to use whatever technologies are approved in Europe and other parts of the world, so that they can at least compete on a level playing field.

‘The IBIA calls on the Government to implement a proper information and education programme around plant biotechnology in order that farmers have the ability to decide what technologies they require to sustain their future livelihood.’